NORTH FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — A Metro Atlanta woman is accused of hurting a teen with autism while he was in therapy at a center in Alpharetta.
Tracy Baptiste is charged with battery and first-degree child cruelty. She was released on bond Tuesday, Channel 2’s Candace McCowan learned.
“I was, you know, I was furious,” said the teen’s mother, Sybil Lane.
She had been taking her 16-year-old son with autism to the Alpharetta location of ABA Centers of Georgia on Alexander Drive for therapy for a year.
She never expected what she found when she went to pick him up one day in February of 2026.
“That’s when he showed me his neck, and he had cuts on his neck where her nails had dug into his neck,” Lane said. “And when he slammed the doors, Tracy said, ‘We’re going to do that again.’ And then proceeded to charge him and pin him up to the wall and attack him,” Lane said.
In the arrest affidavit, investigators said it took two court orders before ABA Centers of Georgia turned over information detectives requested, including the child’s therapy records.
“He has never had an incident, incidents, where he’s needed to be physically restrained at that facility or, you know, with me,” his mother said.
Investigators arrested the registered behavior technician last month.
Baptiste is charged with First-Degree Cruelty to Children and Battery.
Investigators say there were inconsistencies in the statements of staff who claimed to have witnessed what happened.
Lane said it was important that others know what happened to her son.
“I’m very blessed that my son can speak and tell me what happened, but there are children in that facility that may not be able to tell their parents these things are happening,” she said.
Channel 2 reached out to the ABA Centers of Georgia for comments.
“At ABA Centers, the safety and well-being of our clients and team members are our highest priority. However, due to federal privacy laws, including HIPAA, and our obligation to protect the privacy of those involved, we cannot discuss the details of any individual case or personnel matter,” they said in a statement.
Channel 2 also spoke with Baptiste’s attorney, who said they adamantly maintain her innocence.
The attorney said she has 12 years of experience with no prior complaints.
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